World Construction Network

Daily Newsletter

10 August 2023

Daily Newsletter

UK-based Weston Group has announced its pledge to reach net-zero carbon for all three greenhouse gas emission scopes across its operations by 2040.

The group comprises housing developer Weston Homes, Weston Business Centres, and off-site construction company British Offsite.

The company is already investing in environmentally sustainable upgrades at its head office and car fleet, as well as expanding its off-site construction capabilities with a new factory in Braintree, Essex, UK.

Weston will begin to introduce eco-friendly construction and specification features across its residential and mixed-use developments.

Some of the design features that the company focuses on are biodiverse and brown roofs, ground and podium-landscaped areas, photovoltaic-powered buildings, parking bays with access to electric vehicle charging points, and more.

Weston Group chair and managing director Bob Weston said: “For over three decades we have continually striven to produce innovative, high-quality homes to appeal to purchasers from all walks of life.

“There is now a strong 'green premium' from homebuyers, who are increasingly aware of the importance of environmental sustainability and also want energy-efficient homes which are designed to help minimise their fuel bills and running costs.”

Last month, British Offsite launched an off-site construction factory at the Horizon Business Park in Braintree.

Dubbed ‘Horizon’, the new £45m factory occupies an area of 137,000ft² and was designed in partnership with Swedish robotic engineer Randek.

ESG 2.0 marks a shift towards stricter environmental rules

ESG is moving into a different era, which we call ESG 2.0. While ESG 1.0 was driven by voluntary corporate action, spurred by pressure from activist consumers and investors, ESG 2.0 is being driven by a new wave of government policies. The EU has taken the regulatory lead, with rules introduced or in the pipeline that will price emissions, regulate the use of the terms ‘ESG’ and ‘sustainability’ in marketing materials, and make ESG reporting mandatory. The US has taken a different approach, favoring less regulation and more financial support in the form of tax breaks for clean industry (renewables plus nuclear and hydrogen). China is planning to expand its emissions trading system to more sectors, decarbonize its heavy industry, and ramp up its use of renewables. The new policy direction is mainly motivated by the ambition to hit net zero emissions targets. But on top of this, governments are now competing for clean industry and trying to challenge China’s leadership on the production of the world’s green technologies such as solar panels and batteries, as well as the production and refinement of materials needed for energy transition such as lithium. These driving forces are leading to policy that will impact every sector, not just heavy industry, and will keep ESG near the top of the regulatory agenda over the longer term.